{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3549", "Case Introduces Measure To Coordinate Diplomacy And Engagements Among And With Indigenous Peoples Around The World", "2025-04-08", "2025", "2025-04", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=6", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) -- U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai\u2018i-First District) today announced introduction of his Indigenous Diplomacy and Engagement Act \u201cto ensure that our country\u2019s foreign affairs efforts fully encompass and incorporate the independent interconnectedness of our world\u2019s indigenous peoples.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe estimated 476 million indigenous peoples spread across all parts of our world are bound together by a common heritage, common wisdom and common challenges that transcend often artificial lines of national sovereignty,\u201d said Case in remarks on introduction. \u201cTo recognize their international status and leverage their collective knowledge, in 2007 the international community adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.\u201d\n\n\u201cRather than step away from the international stage, we must redouble efforts for meaningful engagement wherever and however we can. This includes strengthening our relationships and partnerships with international indigenous peoples to more fully include their special perspective and connectedness in an inextricably interlinked world.\u201d\n\nCase said that his proposal arose in part from the success of the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, a gathering of the indigenous peoples of Oceania in Honolulu in June 2024. \u201cThe Pacific Festival was a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific and of mutual commitment across national boundaries to addressing the challenges of our times, and we should take those lessons in our own responses.\u201d\n\nCase further said that, to better coordinate focus on indigenous peoples worldwide and engage internationally on issues important to indigenous peoples, including Native Hawaiians, his bill would create an Office for Indigenous Affairs at the Department of State responsible for coordinating all efforts of the federal government regarding diplomacy and engagements with international indigenous peoples.\n\n\u201cThe office would be headed by a Coordinator for Indigenous Affairs, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The coordinator would be tasked with establishing a comprehensive international strategy for promoting diplomacy and engagement with indigenous peoples.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe strategy would be developed in coordination with various federal departments and agencies as well as an Advisory Commission on Indigenous Peoples established by the bill. The Commission would consist of members appointed by the Secretary of State, President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, as well as representatives from the National Congress of American Indians, Alaska Federation of Natives and Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the representative entities for the largest groups of our country\u2019s own indigenous peoples. This will help more directly link our nation\u2019s indigenous peoples with efforts to build relationship with those in other countries.\u201d\n\nCase added that his bill would also require Foreign Service Officers to be trained on the history and culture of indigenous communities that reside near their posts of assignment. He said Foreign Service Officers will often be the primary American officials for interaction with these communities and should be well versed in specific indigenous peoples\u2019 issues.\n\n\u00b7 Copy of bill is here\n\n\u00b7 Case remarks in the Congressional Record is here\n\n\u00b7 Pictures of Congressman Case at the Closing Ceremony for the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture on June 16, 2024\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T00:33:40Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3549"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9247479028999805, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}